Originally Posted by
BrunswickSq
Morning, everyone!
In May I will be taking my first flight on AA, taking advantage the cheaper fares from DUB.
My route is DUB>ORD>BNA and reverse. Flying in J(TATL) and F(domestic).
The forums seem to tell me that in the interests of efficiency every enjoyable aspect of flying has been stripped out of the experience, either by TSA or gate lice etc.
What should I expect, and what should I be prepared to do to make the job/flight of others less stressful?
Thanks in advance.
It's not as bad as all that. You see the extremities of travelers here on FT, and we get a bit whiney sometimes :-)
In terms of practical advice, best is to be organized. Being ready for the TSA checks, having your pockets empty etc., will make it smoother for everyone.
My rule is always to smile and ask folks how they are doing, and to have documents ready and in order. There's an awful lot of people just trying to do the job they've been asked to do.
The hard product on AA J and domestic F is nice enough, and you'll be comfortable. I don't much like the food, so prefer to eat elsewhere, but that's a matter of preference.
For J, I prefer to stay in the lounge until final boarding, and for domestic F I prefer to board first, as overhead space can be at a premium.